The Vikings Should Draft a McCaffrey
Ted Schwerzler
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The Minnesota Vikings will soon be on the clock for the 2024 NFL Draft. They have two picks in the first round, and while that is highly likely to change, what they don’t have are any 2nd- or 3rd-round picks. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah needs to find value in the late rounds of this draft, and a few players, like Luke McCaffrey, may provide it.
The Vikings Should Draft a McCaffrey
If that name sounds familiar, it’s because Luke McCaffrey has bloodlines relatively unmatched among skill position players. His father, Ed, had a wildly successful career in the NFL as a wide receiver. The majority of his exploits came with the Denver Broncos, and he won three Super Bowls. His brother, Christian, has had an okay career with the Carolina Panthers and San Francisco 49ers.
Initially heading to Nebraska for college, Luke transferred to Rice in 2021. At the time, he was still a quarterback, and it wasn’t until 2022 that he moved off the position to focus on being a wide receiver. Like his brother Christian, Luke has a multifaceted skill set. As a season this past season, he ran the ball 15 times while also grabbing 71 receptions. He found the end zone 13 times and profiles as a developmental player at the next level.
Minnesota brought back Brandon Powell to the wide receiver position, and he is the most likely candidate to start as the third wide receiver. While he did flash positive upside throughout the season last year, there is room for that position to be won or expanded upon. Bringing in someone like McCaffrey would allow the Vikings a rookie with intrigue to potentially step up.
Even if McCaffrey doesn’t wind up drawing starts or significant run during his first season, there’s plenty of reason to believe he could be a competent contributor in the not-so-distant future. Leaning on both his brother and dad, Luke would do well to tap into the bloodlines that have very clearly set him up for success to kick off his career.
When projecting where McCaffrey would go in the draft, it’s hard to see him being selected before the 4th or 5th round. He could also go as late as the 6th or 7th round.
While Minnesota doesn’t have much in the form of draft capital at the top of the proceedings, they have a significant amount as the process wears on. Utilizing one of those picks on someone with such immense upside is hardly a bad look.
Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes weekly for Twins Daily. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.
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